Chapter 68

“Clang!”

With the sound of an iron dinner plate clattering against the table, a small chunk of pudding that had been shaken loose bounced up, deftly clearing the little mountain made by the stewed beef before plopping with a splash into the soup bowl beside Leon’s hand.

“Huh???”

Leon, who had been enjoying his meal, paused mid-action, raising his head in surprise to see a familiar face filled with anger sitting opposite him, where there had just been an empty seat.

That wasteful policewoman from this morning? No… Are you crazy? There are plenty of empty seats and yet you come to sit across from me, your “enemy”? Do we know each other that well? “Miss Isa.”

Considering her status as a secret police officer and not wanting any trouble, Leon put down his fork, politely gesturing towards the nearby empty seats while trying to be as courteous as possible: “I prefer eating lunch alone, so if it’s convenient for you, could you perhaps…”

“Absolutely not!”

Looking at the guy who had treated her like an idiot earlier and now dared to steal her lunch, the female cop couldn’t help but glare furiously at Leon while untying her scarf and placing it on the table, gritting her teeth as she spat out:

“I’m sitting here today! If you don’t like it, then leave!”

“Fine, I’ll move then. And I hope you keep your promise and stay right here!”

Amidst the startled expression of the policewoman, Leon gave a sardonic smirk before casually picking up his tray and moving to the next seat, spearing a piece of tender stewed shoulder of beef and stuffing it into his mouth with sheer delight.

Ah, this is great! Some people in the Public Security Bureau may be insufferable, but the canteen’s quality is top-notch! Especially this homestyle stewed beef—though it’s not some extravagant dish, the chef clearly put in a lot of effort.

The beef was obviously pan-seared beforehand to preserve its freshness and tenderness. The broth proportions were carefully considered too, ensuring it wasn’t over-saturated or under-seasoned.

As Leon’s teeth lightly pressed down, the specially seasoned broth made from white pepper, bay leaves, and cloves seeped out of the soft fibers, its rich aroma and slightly spicy notes blending perfectly with the tender texture of the meat, instantly conquering his taste buds.

In the depths of autumn when the cold wind would make your fingers numb, having such a comforting, slightly pungent piece of stewed beef after being famished truly was a great happiness for a busy worker.

I can’t take this anymore!

Lifting her gaze to meet Leon’s blissful expression and the delicious traces of broth around his lips, then glancing down at her own plate where the batter of her fried pork chop had grown cold due to being left too long, the policewoman’s eyes turned red after enduring a day full of misfortunes.

I’ve never seen anyone act so arrogantly!

After sneaking into the Public Security Bureau by luck, instead of hiding quietly, he brazenly comes to eat at our cafeteria, even shamelessly enjoying the stewed beef that was supposed to be mine right in front of me! You’re…

Ah! Damn it! You’re even smacking your lips!”Clang!”

The sound of the iron plate hitting the table rang out again. Crushed by Leon’s happy demeanor, the policewoman immediately broke her earlier vow to stay put, picking up her tray and sitting directly across from him once more, glaring fiercely.

Decided! I must use the most evil expression of my life, darkly telling him: do you think no one knows what you did four days ago?

Anyway, according to the Director’s words, since the bureau can neither arrest this guy nor feed him false information, this lead has already been completely abandoned. So why not scare him with this information? It can warn him to behave, let him know that we Secret Investigation Officers aren’t just here for show! Best case scenario, it makes him realize he’s exposed and leave on his own!…

“You…”

Just as the policewoman, eyes bloodshot, slammed her hand on the table, ready to violate the rules of the Secret Investigation Bureau if necessary just to make this bastard suffer, she saw the jerk opposite her suddenly glaring back, coldly questioning:

“Why are you wasting food?”

“Eh?”

What do you mean ‘eh’?

Looking at the scattered rice pudding all over the table after it had shattered, Leon, who during the past three years had survived on less than two copper coins worth of meals per day, and sometimes scavenged bread crusts from garbage bins when starving, felt his mood sour.

When he frowned and looked up, about to say something along the lines of “don’t waste food; what you spilled here, at least half of the people in the Capital City wouldn’t even get to eat,” he noticed the clothes the policewoman was wearing.

According to the Kingdom’s Public Security Bureau regulations, except for those on duty or serving at specific posts, officers usually aren’t required to wear uniforms. The policewoman’s casual attire was simple but the delicate embroidery at the collar and the fabric that remained smooth no matter how it moved, without a single wrinkle, revealed its high value at a glance.

So… What’s the point of me lecturing her about this? After checking his own worn-out coat, the elbows rubbed thin, and the cotton core exposed from the worn-through shirt lining, Leon bitterly smiled to himself, giving up the idea of reasoning with her. With a faint, indifferent glance, he lowered his head again.

“Forget it, consider I didn’t say anything.”

“…”

Watching Leon lower his head to resume eating, refusing to look at her again, the policewoman, who had been brimming with anger moments ago, now sat frozen in confusion.

Due to prolonged malnutrition, Leon’s frame was always slim, even his cheeks lacked flesh, making his eyes seem particularly large and sharp.

Just as the Red-haired Bureau Director had said, though Leon didn’t talk much and rarely showed expressions, one glance was enough to tell he was someone with deep emotions, thanks to those expressive eyes.

And at this moment, the policewoman was struck by the intense chill emanating from those eyes, a coldness that repelled others miles away.

Not disdain, not resentment, not anger, not hatred—but a pure, unadulterated indifference without any other feelings.

It’s impossible to explain ice to summer insects.

Though she probably hadn’t heard this saying, the policewoman distinctly read a similar meaning from Leon’s brief glance—a recognition of the vast difference between them, leading to a complete unwillingness to even communicate.

This… This is…

Unable to describe that look, as she snapped out of her daze and felt the gazes of others drawn to the commotion, hearing whispers spreading through the restaurant, and seeing Leon still calmly eating his stewed beef with an indifferent expression, the policewoman’s face turned beet red in an instant!

“You bastard!”

I’ll let you eat!

With the grating sound of her chair scraping against the floor, the policewoman stood up abruptly, grabbed one side of her tray with both hands, and dumped everything onto Leon’s plate with a loud splash. Then, amidst numerous shocked stares, she bit her lip, bowed her head, and ran out of the restaurant.

“Huh???”

Wait… Are you crazy?!

Unaware that his single glance had dealt a significant psychological blow to the arrogant policewoman, staring at the now messy tray, Leon’s temper flared up instantly.

But while the policewoman might have poor judgment, her physical condition was excellent. By the time Leon snapped out of his shock and stood up to chase after her, she had already sprinted off, disappearing from sight with her long legs.

Sigh… Don’t argue with fools! Don’t argue with fools! Don’t argue with fools! After looking at the remaining food on the tray, Leon silently repeated these words several times in his mind before begrudgingly sitting back down, picking out the parts that weren’t mixed together yet, and even scooping up a piece of the rice pudding that had fallen on the table to taste.

It must be said, this dessert, very popular among female officers, indeed tasted great, and clearly took a lot of effort to prepare. Mixing eggs, milk, white sugar, raisins, etc., with rice, and steaming until the sugar melted and the grains softened into a pudding-like state was required to create a proper rice pudding.

Even though it was a bit cooled now, the dish still retained its smooth texture, and the refreshing sweetness perfumed its way down the throat, sweetening the heart.

After tasting the fried pork chops and apple pie and finding them equally good, Leon’s appetite satisfied, he finally managed to suppress his anger, nodding contentedly.

Not bad. Though the policewoman may have issues with her brain, her food choices were spot-on. Next time, I’ll order this set myself.

What Leon didn’t notice was that on the table where they first confronted each other, there was still a hand-knitted scarf embroidered with the name “Isa.”

As for the policewoman who had flipped her tray and fled, she was now standing outside the cafeteria door, dumbfounded as she watched Leon pick up the fallen pudding, cherishing every bite as he ate the mess from his tray.

…

“Burp…”

Without a single error, the content is found on 69 Book Bar!

Carrying cat food and pet toys bought from the department store, Leon rushed home, arriving before three o’clock despite being so full he was burping.

For someone with a modest appetite, Leon first encountered the generous ladle of the cafeteria auntie, then met the double portion courtesy of the brain-dead policewoman. It was only through sheer willpower that he managed to finish this painful yet satisfying meal.

Holding his aching stomach and resting for a moment, Leon glanced at the clock and saw it was still a bit before three-thirty, allowing him to breathe a sigh of relief. He then struggled to stand and began setting up.

According to the information provided by [Materialism], at three-thirty, the witch’s cat would knock on the door. Though it seemed harmless, considering its connection to anomalies, Leon used an excuse to send his three younger siblings away, leaving the house empty.

Metal mice, scratching boards, dried fish dolls, fishing rods, small balls with bells inside…

After arranging the cat toys throughout the house and preparing two large bowls—one filled halfway with water, the other with cat food—Leon nodded in satisfaction. Just as he was about to sit down for a rest, he realized he had forgotten to buy a litter box.

Searching around the empty house and failing to find a suitable container, Leon reluctantly used his own washbasin, filling it with sand from outside.

All set! As long as the visitor knocking on the door is a cat and not some large feline, it should be pleased with my hospitality!

As Leon waited confidently, time quickly approached three-thirty, and the door of the Lane Residence was promptly knocked on.

“Toc, toc toc.”

“I’m coming!”

Hearing the knock, Leon took a deep breath, walked over nervously, and opened the door. Fortunately, it wasn’t a large feline but a small, stubby-legged cat with fluffy long hair.

“Meow~”

Accompanied by a kittenish meow that sounded almost like a greeting, the gray-and-white-furred cat politely nodded at Leon before scratching at the small bag on its back, pulling out a card to present.

[Hello, I’m Mango. I’m the pet of the witch who has an agreement with your Clearing Bureau.]

Staring into Leon’s eyes to confirm he could read and had finished the message on the card, the cat named Mango handed over another card before he could speak.

[Don’t ask me why I’m not a black cat. Other witches keep black cats because their black clothes make cat hair less noticeable.]

“…”

Uh… Though I just wanted to greet you, I did kind of want to ask that…

Nodding to indicate understanding, Leon gave a friendly smile.

“So, does your owner like wearing gray or white clothes?”

“Meow~”

Shaking her head to indicate no, the cute but naturally cross-faced cat with a tiny “川” shaped marking between her eyebrows pulled out a third card.

[My owner likes playing flying ball games. Any cat hair on her gets blown away, so she doesn’t care.]

“Oh, I see…”

After a few awkward chats via cards, Leon glanced at the obviously intelligent cat at the door, thought about the things he had prepared, and scratched the back of his head uncomfortably.

Say… It’s not just any ordinary cat, right? Would it even appreciate the stuff I’ve prepared?

Glancing back at the two large bowls on the table and the basin of sand on the ground, Leon hesitated, his throat moving as he tentatively asked, “Um… Can I ask how I should entertain you?”

Upon hearing Leon’s question, the cat tugged at the cloth around her neck, revealing a pink scarf embroidered with rabbits, then rummaged through her small backpack and produced a fourth card.

[My standards aren’t high. Things can stay the same as before.]

Oh! That’s good, low standards! Leon relaxed considerably after reading the card, but before he could invite the cat inside, another card was thrust at him.

[For starters, just soft-cooked carrots and peas will suffice, followed by some tuna salad; for the main course, half a serving of herring sashimi and cucumber rolls will do…]

“…”

[Also, I’ve traveled a long way to get here and need to relieve myself. Could you please show me the bathroom first?]

“…”

[Human? Is something wrong? Are you feeling unwell?]

“…”

(End of Chapter)